BARROW AFC have signed ‘one of the best right-backs in League Two’ after landing Shaun Beeney from Morecambe.

The 27-year-old has penned a one-year deal at Holker Street after he rejected the chance to extend his two-year stay with the Shrimps.

Beeley arrived at the Bluebirds having made exactly 100 appearances for Morecambe – scoring one goal – and having previously turned out 116 times for Fleetwood in both the Conference and Football League.

AFC boss Paul Cox believes he has landed a quality addition to his squad with the 5ft 10ins full-back, who won the Conference with Fleetwood in 2012 and is a former team-mate of England’s Jamie Vardy.

“If you look at the experience that he has, he’s got experience of winning this league with Fleetwood and he has had experience of League Two football,” said Cox.

“Once again, we feel we are taking somebody that is in the prime of his career, at 27. He will give us that little bit of know-how and that cool, calmed and calculative mindset.

“He has been captain at both Fleetwood and Morecambe, so again we are bringing in somebody with that strong mindset into the squad.”

He added: “When I spoke to Jim, I spoke to a lot of players who have played with him and a lot of managers who have managed around him, and they all say the same thing – he’s one of the best right-backs in League Two.

“I came up against him when he was with Fleetwood in the Conference and I watched him numerous times and we know we have signed a quality footballer.

“He’s a great addition to the squad and with his personality I think he will adapt to the way we are and the dressing room. He seems to have a cracking personality.”

Beeley joins a back-line at Holker Street that already includes Danny Livesey, Nick Wilmer-Anderton and Moussa Diarra, with the potential for more to follow before the season starts in August.

Cox feels his latest recruit is a defender rather than an out-and-out attacking full-back, and that was just what he was after.

“He’s a defender first and foremost,” added the Barrow manager. “My belief on defending is that it’s an art that seems to be disappearing out of the game, people aren’t often defenders first and foremost.

“The thing about Shaun, his attributes are that he is very good at coming forward as well, he is quality with the football and he is a threat when he comes forward.

“We’ve signed a player who over the last two or three seasons has played 90-odd games, so there is a consistency as well with him in his play. That’s not just with injury-wise, but if you play that amount of games with any manager you are obviously doing your job well to keep your place in the team.”

Beeley follows Ross Hannah, Richie Bennett, Diarra, Liam Hughes, Paul Turnbull, Wilmer-Anderton and Lindon Meikle in joining the Bluebirds in the close-season.

There have also been new deals for Andy Parry and Alex-Ray Harvey, while Livesey, Andy Haworth, Joel Dixon, Jordan Williams and David Mellor are still under contract.

Cox feels that squad has a good mix, and said: “I think if you look at the squad now, there seems to be a nice blend of experience and youthfulness, athleticism, intelligence and a little bit of rawness and a little bit of mental toughness.

“We’ve got little bits of everything and the squad is coming together nicely, but obviously it still needs adding to at this time.”

Barrow missed out on signing former Boston United defender Zak Mills when he chose to join League Two Grimsby last week.